Geographical Zones
I. Tropical Zone
General characteristics:
Located between 30° north and south latitude
Dominated by the trade wind system
Average annual temperature above 20 °C
Based on precipitation distribution, three belts and one region can be
distinguished:
1. Equatorial Belt
Regions: Amazon Basin (S. America), Congo Basin (Africa), Indonesian
Archipelago (Asia)
Seasons: Constant hot rainy season
Temperature: 25–27 °C
Precipitation: Daily rainfall, 2000–3000 mm/year
Vegetation and Wildlife: Rainforest, monkeys, rich bird and insect life
Soil: Tropical red soils
Surface shaping: Weathering, sheet wash, soil erosion, landslides
2. Transitional Belt
Regions: Guiana Highlands, Brazilian Highlands (S. America), Sudan (Africa),
northern Australia
Seasons:
Warm, rainy
Hot, dry
Temperature: 23–27 °C
Precipitation: 300–1500 mm/year, decreasing with distance from equator
Vegetation: Savanna (wet, dry, thorny types), large mammals
Soil: Savanna red soils
Surface shaping: Weathering, disintegration
3. Subtropical Belt
Regions: Sahara, Kalahari, Arabian Desert, central Australian deserts
Seasons:
Very hot, dry ("summer")
Cool, dry ("winter")
Temperature: 25 °C, large daily variation (25–30 °C)
Precipitation: 100–250 mm/year, sometimes none for years
Vegetation and Wildlife: Sparse (cacti), snakes, rodents
Soil: Weak skeletal soils
Surface shaping: Disintegration, wind erosion
4. Tropical Monsoon Region
Regions: North coast of Gulf of Guinea, India
Seasons:
Dry, sunny ("winter")
Short hot ("spring")
Rainy ("summer")
Precipitation: Summer rains, very high annual totals (can exceed several
thousand mm)
Vegetation and Wildlife: Monsoon forests (jungle), elephants, tigers, panthers
Soil: Laterite soils
Surface shaping: Weathering, sheet wash, soil erosion, landslides
II. Temperate Zone
General characteristics:
Dominated by westerlies
Annual average temperature: 0–20 °C
Contains three climate belts
Warm Temperate Belt (30°–45° latitude)
1. Mediterranean Regions
Regions: Mediterranean, California, central Chile, southern Australia
Climate:
Summer: warm and dry (influenced by subtropical high)
Winter: mild and wet (influenced by westerlies)
Hydrology: Variable water regime
Vegetation: Hard-leaved forests, maquis
Soil: Cinnamon soils
Surface shaping: Fluvial and soil erosion
2. Subtropical Monsoon Regions
Regions: Chinese plain, Korea, southern Japan, Florida, La Plata region,
eastern South Africa, eastern Australia
Climate:
Summer: rainy (oceanic monsoon)
Winter: dry (continental monsoon)
Precipitation: 1000–1500 mm/year
Vegetation: Laurel-leaved forests
Soil: Red and yellow soils
Surface shaping: Weathering (summer), disintegration (winter)
3. True Temperate Belt
Oceanic/Maritime Regions
Regions: NE USA, S Chile, British Isles, W Europe
Climate:
Cool summers, mild winters
Low annual range (7–8 °C), 800–2000 mm/year evenly distributed
Vegetation: Deciduous forests (birch, oak, beech), conifer bogs
Soil: Brown forest soils
Surface shaping: Weathering, fluvial erosion
4. Moderately Continental Regions
Regions: Northern Mississippi Plain, Central Europe, Manchuria
Climate: Varies from wet continental in west to continental monsoon in east
Temperature: Increasing range (10–20 °C) inland
Precipitation: Decreasing (800–500 mm/year)
Vegetation: Deciduous forests, forest-steppe
Soil: Brown forest soils
Surface shaping: Fluvial erosion
5. Continental Regions
Regions: Prairies (NA), Pampas (SA), Steppes (E Europe)
Climate: Dry continental
Temperature: Range 25–45 °C
Precipitation: 300–500 mm/year
Vegetation: Grasslands
Soil: Chernozem (black earth)
Surface shaping: Disintegration, wind erosion
6. Extremely Continental Regions
Regions: Inner deserts and semi-deserts of Asia
Climate: Very hot summers, severe winters
Temperature range: 40–50 °C
Precipitation: 100–200 mm/year
Vegetation: Sparse (shrubs)
Soil: Desert skeletal soils
Surface shaping: Wind erosion
7. Cold Temperate Belt
Regions: Southern Canada, Great Lakes, broad zone across Eurasia
Climate:
Long (6–9 months), harsh winters
Short, warm, rainy summers
Large annual range
Low total precipitation
Vegetation: Taiga (conifer forest), no undergrowth
Soil: Podzols (grey, nutrient-poor)
Surface shaping: Frost disintegration
III. Cold Zone
General characteristics:
Dominated by polar winds
Average annual temperature below 0 °C
Two climate belts distinguished:
1. Subpolar Belt
Regions: Coastal northern Eurasia and N America
Climate:
Long (9–10 months), severe winter
Short "summer"
Annual precipitation: ~200 mm
Vegetation: Tundra (mosses, lichens)
Soil: Tundra soil
Surface shaping: Frost disintegration
2. Polar Belt
Regions: Greenland interior, Antarctica
Climate:
Harsh, very dry winters
Annual mean temp: −10 °C to −55 °C
Annual precipitation (mostly snow): 100–400 mm
Vegetation and Soil: None (ice-covered)
Surface shaping: None (due to ice coverage)
